SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation (NYSE MKT: APHB), a global leader in
the development of therapies to treat drug-resistant infections using
bacteriophage-based technology, announces the appointment of Paul C.
Grint, M.D. as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Dr. Grint
has served on the Company’s board of directors since November 2015 and
has more than two decades of executive leadership experience in
biologics and small molecule development, including the successful
development and commercialization of anti-infective products. M. Scott
Salka has resigned as CEO and director of AmpliPhi, and will serve as a
consultant to the Company during a transition period.

Dr. Grint previously served as President and CEO of Regulus Therapeutics
Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company focused on the
discovery and development of microRNA therapeutics. Prior to Regulus, he
was President of Cerexa, Inc., where he was involved with the
development of a portfolio of antibiotics for multidrug-resistant
infections including ceftaroline and ceftazidime/avibactam combination.
He previously served in senior management roles at Forest Research
Institute, Kalypsys, Inc., Pfizer Inc., IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corporation
and Schering-Plough Corporation. Dr. Grint is a director of the private
biotechnology companies Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Synedgen, Inc.
He received his bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s Hospital in London and
his medical degree from St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College at
the University of London. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of
Pathologists, a member of numerous professional and medical societies,
and the author or co-author of more than 50 scientific publications.

“The board is delighted that Paul has agreed to take on the role of
Chief Executive Officer at this critical time. His extensive experience
in product development, clinical trials, drug approvals and
anti-infectives will serve AmpliPhi well as our focus transitions to
clinical development of phage therapies for patients with serious or
life-threatening infections,” said Jeremy Curnock Cook, Chairman of
AmpliPhi Biosciences. “The past 12 months have been transformative for
AmpliPhi as our bacteriophage therapies have progressed through Phase 1
clinical trials. We have also shown the power of our phage-based
approach to treat a critically ill patient with a multidrug-resistant
(MDR) infection who faced death, being unresponsive to any commercially
available antibiotic. On behalf of the board, I’d like to thank Scott
for his many positive contributions to AmpliPhi over the past two years
and wish him every success in his future endeavors.”

Commenting on his new position, Dr. Grint said, “My passion for
innovative science and commercializing therapies that make a difference
drew me to AmpliPhi Biosciences as a director, and I am thrilled to be
assuming executive leadership of this exciting company. Our phage
technology is much-needed in today’s world of antibiotic resistance
which, if left unchecked, is projected to result in significant loss of
life. AmpliPhi has the opportunity to be a meaningful player in
addressing this looming public health crisis.”

About Antibiotic Resistance

Decades of misuse and over-use of antibiotics has led to the rise of
multidrug-resistant and pan-resistant bacteria, commonly known as
“superbugs.” These superbugs threaten to render existing antibiotic
therapies useless, potentially thrusting the world into a
“post-antibiotic” era where common infections may be life threatening.
Hospitals regularly expose vulnerable patients to pathogenic bacteria.
According to the World Health Organization, each year hundreds of
millions of patients worldwide suffer from infections acquired in a
hospital setting. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
estimates that drug-resistant bacteria cause at least 2 million
infections per year in the U.S. alone, resulting in over 23,000 deaths
and many more people die from other conditions that are complicated by
antibiotic-resistant infections. The 2016 O’Neill Report commissioned by
the UK government projects that the failure to respond to the threat of
antibiotic resistance and the rise of superbugs could lead to an
estimated 10 million deaths per year from antibiotic-resistant
infections worldwide by 2050, with an accumulated global cost of $100
trillion and a 3.5% reduction in global GDP.

About Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, or more simply “phages,” are the natural predators of
bacteria and are thought to be the most abundant life form on earth.
Over eons, phages have evolved an incredible diversity of specialist
strains that typically prey upon just one strain of bacteria, enabling
phage therapies to precisely target pathogenic bacteria while sparing
the beneficial microbiota. Phages can infect and kill bacteria, whether
they are antibiotic-resistant or not, and even when they have formed
protective biofilms.

About AmpliPhi Biosciences

AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation is a biotechnology company pioneering
the development of therapies for antibiotic-resistant infections using
bacteriophage-based technology. In May 2017, AmpliPhi announced an
additional near-term strategic emphasis on developing precisely targeted
and personalized bacteriophage therapies for patients with serious or
life-threatening antibiotic-resistant infections. AmpliPhi has reported
results from two Phase 1 clinical trials of AB-SA01, one for the
treatment of Staphylococcus aureus in chronic rhinosinusitis
patients (safety and preliminary efficacy) and one to evaluate the
safety of AB-SA01 when administered topically to the intact skin of
healthy adults.

AmpliPhi recently announced the completion of an underwritten public
offering of common stock and common warrants resulting in net proceeds
to AmpliPhi of approximately $9.1 million.

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical
fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements include, without limitation, statements about the potential
use of bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections and other potential
benefits of phage therapies, the Company’s personalized phage therapies
strategy, including the expected benefits therefrom and the Company’s
ability to develop targeted and personalized medicines for patients with
serious or life-threatening antibiotic-resistant infections, the
Company’s ability to advance its research and development programs
through partnerships and/or non-dilutive funding, and the regulatory
pathway for approval of phage therapies. Words such as “believe,”
“anticipate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “may,” “goal,”
“potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements
necessarily contain these identifying words. Among the factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in
these forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated
with AmpliPhi’s business and financial condition and the other risks and
uncertainties described in AmpliPhi’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
the quarter ended March 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC. You are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All
forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this
cautionary statement, and AmpliPhi undertakes no obligation to revise or
update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances
after the date of this press release.